[Adult respiratory distress syndrome due to sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus: a case report]

A 59-year-old man, under treatment for osteoarthritis of the right hip joint, was admitted to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of Health Insurance Nankai Hospital with complaints of high fever and severe right hip joint pain. Since he developed shock, he was transferred to the Department of Internal Medicine. The laboratory data showed marked increase of acute phase reactants, and Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the abscess in the right hip joint. The chest X-ray film the next day showed diffuse pulmonary edema of both lungs. The diagnosis of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to sepsis caused by S. aureus was made. Septic ARDS due to S. aureus is rare. The patient was cured by mechanical ventilation and administration of antibiotics, methyl-prednisolone and Urinastatin, along with drainage of the abscess in the right hip joint.